Tension before unity
by LovelyPinkDaisy
Summary: What happens when a foreign exchange student from America enters Hogwarts in her 7th year? She befriends Rose Weasley, and tries to form true house unity. Bad summary, but I hope you enjoy!
1. Chapter 1: Layla's Sorting

**Disclaimer:** All rights go to the lovely J.K Rowling

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A/N: Here are some characters  
Sam Boot- Ravenclaw 7th  
Daniel Morrison- Ravenclaw 6th  
Cassandra Hill- Ravenclaw 7th  
Rose Weasly- Gryffindor 7th  
Emily Finnigan- Gryffindor 7th  
Albus Potter-Gryffindor 7th  
Lily Potter-Gryffindor 5th  
Hugo Weasley-Gryffindor 5th  
Alice Longbottom- Gryffindor 7th  
Frank Longbottom- Hufflepuff 7th  
Sally Corner- Hufflepuff 5th  
Scorpius Malfoy- Slytherin 7th  
Alexander Zabini- Slytherin 7th  
Felix Pucey- Slytherin 7th  
Ariana Easton- Slytherin 6th  
Helen Veney- Slytherin 7th

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The students filed into the great hall for the feast, prefects shouting for order, while Headboy and girl, Scorpius and Rose ignored eachother as helping out the new first years who looked rather frightened about the sorting. However there was one girl who looked of age and was looking at her surroundings in awe.

Scorpius walks forward, "You must be the new student, welcome to Hogwarts," and puts his hand out with a welcoming smile.

"Thank you," she says with her arms crossed and a pleasant smile, but before she could explain why she wouldn't shake his hand a short man, who looked to be half goblin entered the room, ushering the heads out of the room.

"Hello, I am professor Flitwick, deputy headmaster and Head of House for Ravenclaw. You will be sorted in a few minutes into one of four houses. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Throughout the year the house you will be sorted into will be like your family. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. now even though you will be separated, we enforce house unity, just because you are in one house does not mean that you cant be friends with students from other houses. The Sorting will occur in front of the whole school, so if you want to smarten up, I suggest you do so, I'll return when we are ready for you."

As soon as the Professor left the small ones twittered nervously, while Layla sighed. Suddenly she heard a few screams and whirled around while grasping her wand tightly. She sighed again as she realized they were just ghosts. Professor Flitwick returned; he, the first years and Layla headed towards the great hall. The great hall bustled with noise when they noticed Layla. She had natural tan skin, browned by the sun, dark eyes framed by long black lashes, her nose was long and rounded. She was older, but she was also wearing a long skirt, not the usual above the knee, as well as a scarf which covered her hair. The sorting hat sang about unity between houses, the dark lord being gone, and finally it was time for the Sorting. To the excitement of the school, she was first.

"Ali, Layla." Professor Flitwick announced in his squeaky voice. She walked towards the stool, with her chin up, her soft footsteps where the only sound in the room. She sat down facing the school, with her dark chocolate eyes open, and placed the hat atop her head. _You can speak aloud_, she thought already warned about the hat by Kingsley.

"Very interesting," his voice sounding throughout the halls the students and teachers mirroring shock.

"A seventh year to sort hmm, well lets see. Bravery, loyalty, cunning, wit, and knowledge. You would do well in Gryffindor, although too wise to land there, as they are sometimes brave to the point of stupidity."

The Slytherins and Ravenclaws smirked, while the Hufflepuffs tried to hide their grins. The Gryffindors however ranged from indignant to pride.

"Well Ravenclaw suits you as does Slytherin." The hat stopped for a minute longer before shouting out "RAVENCLAW!"'

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My first Fanfic, hope you all enjoy.

~Rose


	2. Chapter 2: Making a Deal

**Disclaimer:** All rights go to the lovely J.K. Rowling

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The rest of the feast flew by like a blur. Everyone was chattering about how the Sorting hat had spoken aloud. Layla talked among her actual 7th year classmates until Headmistress Professor Mcgonagall dismissed the students. After prefect Sam Corner answered the riddle the Ravenclaws filed in to the common room. Layla heads up to her dorm chattering with Cassandra and Prita. Once they reached the dorm and closed the door Layla spoke up.

"How is this dorm guarded against the boys?"

Cassandra giggles, "you have your eye on one of our blokes?"

"No, not at all, it is because of my religion, the whole hair thing." Prita nods.

"Well, you're safe, not to worry, the staircase changes to a slide if the attempt to climb up," she replies with a smile.

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The next day, Layla wakes up early and heads off to the library. After chatting with Madam Clearwater she sat and began looking through _Hogwarts: A History_. After an hour, Rose walks in and spots Layla reading. She walks over with a smile, her footsteps cause Layla to look up, and she smiles back.

"Hello, I'm Rose Weasley, Head Girl, you can come to me for any questions." she says with a smile. She had deep red hair, tinged with brown, which was wavy and flowed just beneath her shoulder. Her eyes were a midnight blue framed by short thick lashes. her nose was thin and slightly pointed, and had a sprinkle of freckles across her upper cheeks and nose.

"Thank you," Layla replies sincerely, "this place is amazing."

She smiles, "it really is, how is the school is the States?"

"Oh it was nice, not as large as this castle, the school is actually rather new."

"Really? What else is different?" she asks eagerly.

"Well, we don't bother with the whole houses thing. No offence but it goes against everything the Sorting Hat and teachers say. If you want unity then you should do what we do, we separate by years, and gender for the dorms. So it's around 30 girls that I was sharing with, and it actually wasn't that bad, the rooms were large enough so everyone had there own bed, dresser, and desk space."

Rose's eyes widen,"wow."

"Yeah, its not that bad here, just different, and really isolated." Layla says looking around her.

Rose smiles, then frowns a bit, "do you mind me asking, why you left?"

"Not at all, my parents got job offers here."

"At the Ministry?" she guesses.

"Yes but not what you think, my parents are Muggles."

"Oh okay, pardon me, but I'm quite a reader and I know that you practice the religion of Islam, and I was just wondering do your parents mind? about you being a witch?"

"Ah, well at first they were horrified, me too as a matter of fact, but they figured that it might be good to learn it, it is just forbidden if it is dark magic."

"Well that's good."

She laughs softly, "yes, I suppose it is."

Rose glances around, "oh it is time for breakfast, Layla, why don't you come sit with the Gryffindors today?"

She smiles, "sure."

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They walk towards the table, as all the Gryffindors stare up at the 7th years curiously. Albus, Emily, Lily, Alice, and Jack look up at Rose and Layla as they reach her end.

"Alright you lot, this is Layla Ali, Layla, these are my friends Emily Finnigan, Alice Longbottom, Jack Thomas and my cousins Albus and Lily Potter,

"Nice to meet you," Layla says with a smile.

"Likewise," says Alice moving over.

"Thanks," Layla said as Rose sat on her other side.

"So," Lily starts staring at Layla, "what are those headthings called?" they stared at her, horrified.

"What? I know you all want to know," she says taking a bite of an apple.

Layla laughs, "well Lily, its called a hijab, but you can call it a scarf, or head thing," she says with a wink.

Lily grins, "do you have other colors? why do you have to wear it?"

"Yes as a matter of fact I do have other colors, sadly this school has a uniform code so I'm limited to black, or grey. Oh, and I wear it due to your brother, your cousin Hugo, and Jack," she adds glancing up with a small smirk. They blink in confusion, as Rose giggles, and the others look on with raised eyebrows.

"You can ask why you know," she says to the boys.

"Right," Albus says, "erm why?"

"Well what I said is not entirely true, it's not just you three, just males in general, I have to cover up in front of males."

"So in your dorm?" Alice asks timidly.

"No thank God, and the magic staircase, genius. This is a good fruit salad." She adds. Lily smiles and turns to Hugo and talks to him about Hogsmeade. Emily and Alice talk about their Herbology lesson, while Albus and Jack were discussing their chances for winning the Quidditch cup this year. Rose and Layla were glancing around the room: Rose for any signs of trouble, and Layla for any signs of unity. Nothing, every house kept to themselves except for her.

"Ready for your first charm lesson?" Rose asks rising from the bench.

"Yep, great meeting you guys." she says smiling at everyone.

"Yes it was," Lily says, "I love your accent"

Layla laughs lightly again, "are you serious? I love yours, American accents are boring," Lily rolls her eyes.

"We will break you into an English accent by next term," Jack promises.

"Maybe even an Irish," adds Emily, with just a hint of an Irish accent.

She grins, "deal."

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Next chapter up, hope you all enjoy. I myself am a Muslim and have always wondered what it would be like if I went to Hogwarts, however, Layla is most defiantly not like me at all, except for being in Ravenclaw :)

~ Rose


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